Wizard Runners

Chapter 1

Aev wakes up before dawn, his body stiffened from sleeping in

the cold grass. There was an inn a few miles back, but three months

the trip had cost him most of the coins he had inherited from his father.

Now, spend some copper for a warm-looking bed

like a luxury he can't afford.

But apart from his ailing body, this morning found Aev

filled with joy. Today, after three months, he would finally

arriving in the city of Bulkhas. Today, he finally had the chance to

join the Academy and become a witch.

When the light of the first dawn appeared, Aev hurriedly

campers, eat a hard piece of stale bread as he packs his bags. Subsequent to

months of travel, time for breakfast properly will not make

a lot of differences, but with the end of his journey in sight, his patience

long gone.

Heart filled with excitement, he departed.

By morning the huts and farms along the

the roads are getting more and more frequent, and Aev knows he must be approaching the city. Every hill

the new he climbed saw him looking forward with great hope, but every

he was disappointed to find another road winding through the hill

grassy.

Several times he stopped to ask the farmer who

how far into the city, and each time, they told him that

the city was just a stone's throw. Now, he wonders how much

talented stone throwers in the region.

Towards noon, Aev returned to the top of the low hill

when suddenly, he saw her. Not even a mile away, a lot

the building stretched into the distance, smoke drifting from the hundreds that it should have

thousands of chimneys.

He could not help feeling shocked as he looked.

Aev knows that the city of Bulkhas is big, of course – it is

the only place in the region called “kota” – but scale solely

amazed him.

With this many buildings, there must be thousands of people who

stay right here. His mind was confused by that thought. That's if some giant

take all the cities Aev has ever seen and collect them all.

Aev was amazed at the sight, wondering how

it feels like living in such a magnificent place.

At that moment, a carefree voice sounded, “First time

here, I accept it?”

Aev turned around in shock, finding a man of stature

he was wearing a bright blue robe behind him.

Before he could answer, the man continued, “You

an Easterner,

He pointed to Aev's head. “That's blonde hair

give it. Not much to see around here. So what is

take you to town? If that's the job you're looking for, I guess I can—”

“I'm here for Academy, “Aev hastily cut it.

“Academy?” The man frowned. “Become a witch?”

His expression showed that he did not approve of the idea.

Aev nodded. “Do you know where it is?”

The man chuckled, even though the mention of the Academy had been

take a little cheering from his voice. “It was a big white building close

city centre. You can't miss it if you try.”

　

　

With that, he left, leaving Aev.

Aev spent a few more moments observing the City of Bulkhas

before you go too. Despite the city's great looks, its true purpose still exists

in front of him.

Soon after, he entered the city, where he soon

amazed at the crowds who walk through the narrow cobblestone streets.

In just a few minutes he passed more people than he did

meet for the previous three months.

The streets are filled with small shops and shops

food, and Aev is attacked by a barrage of smells as he stormed the crowd of –

good food is new and familiar, all sorts of spices, people are

it was not washed, and the things he did not dare to think about were too deep

about the.

Several times he found himself approached by beggars

and the hawkers whose perseverance only wavers when they see the sword

by his side, and he soon found himself clutching tightly to his coin purse,

fear that with a momentary distraction it will disappear.

After some time, the streets were narrow in the suburbs

it began to grow wider, finally opening a wide path. Aev understands he must

it's close to the city center. Here, the crowd was thinner and dressed

better, while the beggars he had met before were nonexistent.

It didn't take long before Aev saw what he was

think of it as an Academy in the distance, a majestic white building looming

all over the city, it was topped with two towers that stretched to the sky as if

challenging the gods.

Attracted by the sight, he accelerated his pace.

It wasn't long before he reached the large square, at the far end of the Academy. Finally,

he has arrived.

Aev is fascinated by the views of the Academy. It went up at least

eighty feet above the city without so many stitches appearing anywhere

on its walls, it was as if the entire building had been hewn from one, block

big white marble.

A large staircase leads to the entrance, made of

the same white marble as the Academy itself. On both sides of the stairs stand

half a dozen armed guards, dressed in clean white uniforms and carrying

the sword on their side. Their serious expressions showed that they did not

just there for the decoration.

As Aev approached the stairs, one of the guards was dressed

white immediately stepped forward, a tall woman with a sharp face and

the shoulders are almost as wide as the Aev.

“What is your business here?” he asked in a cold tone.

“I'm here to join the Academy,” replied Aev.

His expression softened, though only slightly. “You will

wanted Testing Hall,” said, pointing to a white brick building in

to the left of the square.

Aev nodded his thanks and turned to the Testing Hall.

Looking at the Testing Hall, he found himself somewhat disappointed.

It is an impressive building by any standard – is made of

the bricks were white and stood forty feet tall, clearly more incredible

than anything in Aev ‘

He walked to the entrance of the Testing Hall, where a

single men stand guard. While his uniform matches those of the guards outside

the main building of the Academy, his attitude and expression felt more relaxed.

When Aev approached him, the guard asked while

smile, “Here to test?” Aev nodded, and the guard continued, saying,

“Log in.”

　

　

Inside, Aev finds a spacious hall, filled with rows

a wooden bench that can easily accommodate more than a hundred people. However

now, only a few dozen people were sitting scattered in the hall. All

unless some of them have nervous expressions, and Aev guesses that

they were there for the same reason.

Behind the hall stood a large wooden table, with

a middle-aged woman sat behind him. After hesitating for a moment, Aev

approached him.

The woman looked at him. “Name?” he asked briefly.

“Aev,” answer.

“Family name?” he asked, a little impatience in

her voice.

Aev shook his head. “I don't have,” he said

with a little shame. In his hometown, only a few wealthy families

have a family name. Ordinary people were only given names for their work

or their father.

“East Man,” He shook his head in disgust.

“What city are you from?”

“Ghonas,” answer.

“Aev from Ghonas, then,” Him carefully

writing name. “Good. Please sit. Someone will be with you soon.”

After Aev sat on one of the wooden benches, he looked

walk around to the others in the hall. Most of them are around Aev,

about twenty years, though some of them looked like them

they are still early teens, and some appear to be in their thirties or even fours

tens.

He couldn't help but feel out of place.

While most of the others wore delicate robes, he wore

traveling clothes, still dirty with travel dust. He spent

some moments wished he had found an inn with a bathhouse

that was good before heading to the Academy, but it was too late for that now.

walked near him. He was short, with long black hair framing

what a pretty face. “Are you Aev?” he asked in a friendly voice.

“Ya,” answer.

“Follow me,” he said with a smile. He turned around and

walk into the corridor, with Aev rushing behind him.

A few minutes later, he stopped at one of the

many doors in the corridor and knocked on it just once. Soon, a voice

heard from within. “Institute!” The young lady stepped through the door,

signaled for Aev to follow him.

Inside was a small office, its walls were covered with bookshelves.

In the middle of the office stood a wooden table, on top of which sat several piles

paper and small metal box. Behind the table was a middle-aged man

with slightly disheveled hair and a tired expression on his face.

The young lady bowed respectfully to the man at the table. “Testers

Mases, this is Aev from Ghonas. He's here to test.” With that, he stepped

get out of the office, close the door behind him.

Aev stands rather uncomfortable in the middle of the office when men

it silently looked at him, unsure if he expected to say

something's.

“You certainly come with careful preparation,” Mases Testers

finally speaking with a meaningful glance towards the sword at Aev's side.

“Although I think you may have misjudged the danger you will face

today.”

Aev felt his face flushed. “Not ... I mean, I'm new

just arrived in town,” he exclaimed.

“Please sit down,” said Mases Tester, smiling at the taste

shame on the young man. As Aev sat down, he continued in a more reserved tone

seriously, “Before we start, there are two things you should know.”

He took a deep breath as Aev waited.

“The first thing is that you will almost certainly fail.”

The man spoke in a flat voice, as if he had given a speech

this was a thousand times before – which, suddenly Aev realized, maybe he had

doing so. “From every hundred people, maybe someone was born with

magic talent. Unless you use other means to gain access to

magical ability, you most likely have no talent.”

He looked at Aev with a questioning look.

Aev shook his head. Until a moment ago,

he didn't even know that learning magic required special talent. If there is

another way to gain magical abilities, he definitely did not know her.

The Mahir looked at Aev grimly. “Then you should

understand that you may fail.”

He took another deep breath and continued, “Hal

the second is that even if you have magic talent, it is meaningless

you will be able to become a magician. The exam only gets you accepted into the Academy,

but nine out of every ten students in the Academy fail to master even

the most basic magic. ”

Hearing this, Aev felt somewhat sad. Only now he

understand that he has little chance to join

Academy, let alone being a witch.

“If you still want to continue, pay me a fee

registration, and we will start,” Testers Mases look at Aev expectantly.

“App cost?” Aev asked in surprise.

“To be tested, you need to pay one gold crown or two

tens of silver marks,” the man explained.

Aev barely held his breath, and for a moment he considered

to go at that time. To him, twenty silver marks were a small fortune.

Paying that much would make him barely have any money. Worse yet, though,

if he fails the test, he will be left in Ghonas City, not even having

the coins he needed to return to Ghonas.

He thought for a moment, then decided not to leave.

Even if he left now, most of his coins would be wasted in

the journey. Moreover, he could not bear to think back to Ghonas after

fail – if nothing else, the taunts will be relentless.

Without words, Aev took out his coin purse and

count twenty silver coins. Only one silver mark remained, together

with some copper. Like that, the money his father left behind was already

depleted. He breathed regretfully.

The Mases tester collects a small pile of coins and

put it in a small metal box on top of his desk. Then, he produced

a small silk bag, from which he took out a disc made of white stone

the soft milk, which he gave to Aev.

“Come start,” said. “Disk I gave you is

a magical thing that can reveal your talents. Put your hands on both sides

that, then focus your attention on the center,”

Aev followed the man's instructions. Cautiously

grasping the disc with both hands, he carefully looked at it, trying

it is best to concentrate on the middle of the disc.

Nothing happened, and after a while, Aev

looking at the man. “Is there anything specific I should do?”

he asked, somewhat confused.

“All you need to do is focus your attention,”

answer the man. “Give me a little time. If you have talent, you will

immediately see the results.”

Once again Aev focused his attention on the disc,

concentrate harder than ever before, trying to get him to perform …

something's. Anything. However the disk remained unchanged, and he began to lose

hopefulness.

“It looks like you are less—” Mases Tester has started

speaking when suddenly, Aev felt something change. As if

his consciousness had made a connection to the disk, and he vaguely sensed what

it looks like a void inside.

“Something's going on!” he exclaimed, his voice trembling

of excitement.

As he focused his concentration, Aev felt

his connection to the disk grew stronger, and he felt an interesting sensation, as if

the disc was pulling something from his mind.

Slowly, a small black dot appeared in the section

middle disc.

With all the effort he could muster, Aev willed

the point to grow, and to his amazement, seemed to respond, slowly

but it must have turned darker and bigger.

As the point increases, the painful pressure rises in

chief Aev, but he didn't give up. This is his chance to be

a witch, and she'll bear anything to succeed.

Clenching his teeth, he poured out every bit of his desire

onto the disc, and the black dot continued to expand, albeit at a more rapid pace

slow than before. At that moment, it was the size of Aev's thumb, and

the pressure Aev felt increased rapidly, making his head throb

agony.

Eventually, the pressure became too much for him to

persevered.

While groaning, he forced what he would

leave it to the disc, causing the black hairline to spread from the black spot.

Small cracks appear along the lines, and suddenly, Aev's connection to the disk

disconnected.

Aev sighed deeply, his heart racing

in his chest because of the energy. His body was exhausted, as if he had just run

a few miles with a full sprint, but a wide smile appeared on his face.

He has succeeded.

“I did it, right? That changed .. It means I graduated

exam?” Aev was filled with anticipation as he excitedly looked at the Examiner

Mases.

Only then did he see that man's face

it had turned as pale as the previous disc, its eyes widened and filled

shock.

Despite his exhaustion, Aev soon understands that something is up

is wrong.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked

with a worried voice. “I didn't mean to damage the disk,” he added with

tone apologized.

The Mases tester hesitated, then replied, “Not at all.”

With a forced smile, he added, “Your results are a little not

ordinary, that's it.”

The Mases tester stood up and took out a cracked disc from the

table top. “I have to talk to my master. Stay right here. I'll be right away

back.” With that he walked out of the door, closing it behind him.

Aev could hear the man's footsteps echoing in the corridor as he rushed over

go awayl.

Aev took a slow breath, his mind racing. Moments

all he cared about was passing the exam, but now,

A feeling of great danger arose in Aev as he sat down

in the office, frantically trying to decide what to do

subsequent.